Pre-order now: Munich by Robert Harris

From the internationally best-selling author of Fatherland and the Cicero Trilogy--a new spy thriller about treason and conscience, loyalty and betrayal, set against the backdrop of the fateful Munich Conference of September 1938.

Hugh Legat is a rising star of the British diplomatic service, serving at 10 Downing Street as a private secretary to the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. Paul von Hartmann is on the staff of the German Foreign Office--and secretly a member of the anti-Hitler resistance. The two men were friends at Oxford in the 1920s, but have not been in contact since. Now, when Hugh flies with Chamberlain from London to Munich, and Hartmann travels on Hitler's train overnight from Berlin, their paths are set on a disastrous collision course. And once again, Robert Harris gives us actual events of historical importance--here are Hitler, Chamberlain, Mussolini, Daladier--at the heart of an electrifying, unputdownable novel.

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Vintage; Reprint edition (October 30, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 052543643X
ISBN-13: 978-0525436430


Pre-order from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Books-A-Million
iBooks
Indiebound

Interview with D.J. Williams, Author of Waking Lazarus

With the DNA of a world traveler, D.J. Williams was born and raised in Hong Kong, has ventured into the jungles of the Amazon, the bush of Africa, and the slums of the Far East. His global travels have engrossed him in a myriad of cultures, and provided him with a unique perspective that has fueled his creativity over the course of a twenty-year career in both the entertainment industry and nonprofit sector. Currently based out of Los Angeles, Williams continues to add to his producing and directing credits of more than 350 episodes of broadcast TV syndicated worldwide by developing new projects for television, film and print. He is the author of The Disillusioned and Waking Lazarus.


WEBSITE AND SOCIAL LINKS:
Website: djwilliamsbooks.com
Twitter: @djwilliams316
Facebook: www.facebook.com/djwilliams316
Instagram: @djwilliamsbooks

Did you like mysteries and thrillers when you were growing up?

At eight years old, I read Treasure Island cover to cover, lost in my bedroom living out an adventure in another world. From the first page I was captured by the story and characters. When I closed the book I was left dreaming of becoming a storyteller. I never imagined how that would become reality. Fast forward through the years to a season in life where I found myself transitioning out of the music industry into the second act of my career as an Executive Producer and Director in the TV business. Only then did that spark of inspiration return to pursue my dream to write mystery, suspense, and international thrillers. Even after all those years I was hooked by a spark of inspiration, and the chase was on.

What was the first story in that genre that you wrote?

I stood on the shores of the Zambezi River as that spark of a story pierced my soul. I'd traveled across Zambia for three weeks, producing a live music recording and filming a documentary. I witnessed the reality of those forgotten by the world and I knew that one day I'd write about this place. Little did I know that it would be a few years before I found the courage to write my first novel, The Disillusioned. After a year of writing late at night, I sent my novel to a friend in the TV industry with the disclaimer, "If it's not any good, the only two people who'll know are you and me."

In The Disillusioned, my main characters Sam and Daniel are propelled into separate journeys from Los Angeles to the heart of the Zambezi. On their adventures they find themselves in a place where death is one breath away, where thousands of children are disappearing into the darkness, and where the woman they are searching for is on the hunt for revenge. I was humbled when my friend, Judith McCreary (Executive Producer of Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds and CSI) was the first to endorse the novel, describing it as "a fast-paced mystery...you won't put it down until you've unlocked the secrets and lies to find the truth."

What is your favorite part of writing in this genre?

Chasing the story is what keeps me writing in this genre. Once that spark of a story hits you're on the hunt for answers. Often I've found that the outline I create in the beginning looks vastly different at the end of the first draft. I believe it's because as I'm writing, chasing down the story and characters, there are twists and turns that reveal themselves in surprising ways. For me, not knowing exactly what's going to happen next keeps me on the edge of my seat. I've always thought that if I'm on the journey guessing what's going to happen next, then hopefully, the same will be true for readers who enter into the world I've created.

What do you find most difficult about writing in this genre?

When I first began writing the Guardian Novels, there was only one story with one set of characters. But as I continued writing the second book, Waking Lazarus, the world expanded with new characters, twists and turns, and underlying secrets that needed to be revealed at just the right moment. Keeping track of all my characters, and their story arcs in the world, has been a challenge at times. And I'm not only chasing the next story, I'm also chasing after my favorite authors who inspire me to push my characters farther than I ever thought possible. In the end, I'd love for those I admire to be surprised by the stories I write. It's easy to start a story, but the real challenge is to finish with a bang!

Is there an author in this genre that you admire most?

John Grisham, Michael Connelly, Brad Meltzer, James Patterson, David Baldacci, Gillian Flynn, Robert Galbraith AKA J.K. Rowling, and Lee Child. It's impossible to pick only one.

What is up next for you?

At the moment, I'm writing an international mystery and thriller with the working title: The Auctioneer. After researching and playing with the characters and plot, I'm in the stage where the story is revealing itself one clue at a time. Even after writing other novels, I still feel fear when I stare at the blank page! It's a reminder of my three days on the Zambezi, when I wondered if I'd ever find the courage to become a storyteller.

Do you have anything to add?

With each novel, I create a music playlist that consists of soundtracks from various movies that I feel capture the tone of the story. Depending on what chapter I'm writing, I'll put certain tracks on repeat so that the mood of the music helps me translate the scene I'm writing on the page.

With my latest novel, Waking Lazarus, I went a step further by bringing in a composer friend who composed a full soundtrack to go along with the book. I'd never seen this done before with a novel, other than those books that were made into feature films. So, with Waking Lazarus you can listen to the soundtrack that fits each of the chapters you're reading. And we did it in such a way that it doesn't matter if you're a fast reader or a slow reader. You simply put the tracks on repeat depending on which chapter your reading and it fits the scenes in those chapters.

This Summer you can access the first 10 chapters of Waking Lazarus – the # 1 read for summer 2017 - for free. Head to www.djwilliamsbooks.com for more information. Waking Lazarus will be exclusively priced at just $10 from 12th June-31st August 2017, with both Waking Lazarus and The Disillusioned available together in print for just $16 (and e-books priced at $2.99 each) via www.djwilliamsbooks.com. The Waking Lazarus soundtrack is also now available for just $4.99 from June-August 2017. Don’t leave for your vacation without them!

Guest Post: Ten Things You Might Not Know About The CIA International Thriller Series by R.Lawson

Title: Existential Threats (Book 4 of The CIA International Thriller Series)
Author: R. Lawson
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 345
Genre:  Thriller/Espionage

The CIA's incoming Director of Counter Terrorism, Biff Roberts, is inheriting a multitude of challenges. For starters, there is the existential threat of a nuclear Iran. Added to that, the Middle East has become enmeshed in a surge of radical religious extremism ranging from fanatical Muslims of the Islamic State to the Taliban, groups who commit unspeakable atrocities using violence to pursue their atavistic goals. Syria’s civil war could result in Assad's weapons of mass destruction getting into the hands of the splintered groups of Islamic Jihadists fighting there. This radical ideology has now spilled over into Africa with furious intensity.

And as if these international problems were not enough imminent threats to confront, Iranian mullahs have issued an Islamic death warrant fatwa on Biff, and those hoping to see it through are chasing him to the ends of the Earth.

Things move closer to home when CIA intelligence discovers that Iran has dispatched Mahmoud Abu Javari, the notorious IED bomb maker to the U.S.  Biff now faces a Homeland threat of 9/11 proportions and has to thwart a bomb plot in San Francisco without knowing the target or timing for the planned act of terror.

For More Information

• Existential Threats is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Title: The Carrington Prophecy (Book 5 of The CIA International Thriller Series) Author: R. Lawson
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 298
Genre:  Thriller/Espionage

Biff Roberts, the CIA's counterterrorism director, receives actionable intelligence that a rogue regime is planning a sneak attack with the goal of exploding a nuclear device above the United States, triggering an unnatural Carrington Event.

The cosmic storm of the Carrington Event’s electromagnetic pulse waves released by the explosion would cripple all electronic systems and power grids in the U.S., leaving the homeland defenseless and vulnerable to conventional warfare.

With North Korea looking to be the most likely suspect, Biff is tasked to intervene and prevent this attack without triggering a global world war. Collaborating with NIS, the South Korean Intelligence Service, Biff and his team work to thwart the impending disaster, while also leaving the CIA with plausible deniability.

For More Information

• The Carrington Prophecy is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

Ten Things You Might Not Know About 

The CIA International Thriller Series by R.Lawson

1 I tag my novels as "Intelligent thrillers" to play off of a couple of meanings. One refers to "Intelligence" agencies and the other to "requiring thought." My objective is to not only to provide entertainment for readers, but to also have them come away with the new knowledge of how something works. For example, in Killing Time, my second novel, I wrote about how a Stuxnet virus was able to cripple the command and control systems of Iran's nuclear program, setting back its nuclear ambitions for years. And, in this case, the title Killing Time is a double entendre as well. Iran is stalling IAEA inspectors while Mossad and the CIA are assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists and launching digital malware missiles at their computers.

2 - My novels deal with multiple threats faced by my protagonist, Biff Roberts, a CIA field officer and Special Activity Division (SAD) Operative. His outstanding achievements in counterterrorism eventually lead him to his role as Director of the CIA's counterterrorism (CT) division. His success also led Iranian mullahs to issue a fatwa, or death warrant, against him, a recurring theme in the series.

3 - I try to take the reader to places they have never been with Biff and his CT team as they face a gamut of challenges from bioterrorism to radical Islamic jihadists. In addition, Biff is always under the threat of the fatwa (death warrant) hanging over his head. He is Iran's poster boy for retribution, dramatized in Retribution, the third novel in the series. I hope my readers identify with his conflicts and root for him to overcome the obstacles he faces. He's a bigger than life protagonist who manages to pull out some remarkable feats, amazing his colleagues and frustrating the enemies.

4 - I introduce the reader to the inner-working of allied intel agencies such as MI6 (U.K.), Mossad (Israel), and DGSE (France). In my fourth novel, Existential Threats, Biff collaborates with all three of these agencies against radical Islamist plots on three continents, ending up facing a homegrown jihadist bomb threat in San Francisco. You'll learn about drones, Tomahawk missiles, and IED's (improvised explosive devices) in this novel. And you will learn some interesting facts such as, MI6 has no "license to kill" while the other intel agencies do.

5 - There are many talented authors writing action thrillers. But I feel that some go over the top in that you don't have to kill twenty-six bad guys in the first chapters to excite the reader. Three important elements I try to use to increase tension are surprise, suspense, and conflict. Once established, I try to build on those. How well that is accomplished depends on talent and experience. I believe there is progression in my skills over the course of the series and it is something I work on every day to improve. A good story will stand on its own if well told. Admittedly I'm new to the field and working hard to get better as a writer, but my stories are timely, meshing with contemporary events and introducing technology and science into the stories. Hopefully my readership will increase.

6 - My Voice: The third person omniscient voice allows me to maneuver through the plots and subplots. I know where the story is going, my characters don't. I can plant seeds, foreshadow events, weave intricacy into the story, possibly trick the reader with a twist and turn. Plus, this voice allows me to delve into science and technology in narrative summaries and jump sets. 

7 - Dialogue helps my characters drive the story and limit exposition to correlating narrative summaries to move the story along without interfering with pace. It's a delicate balance to achieve, showing, not telling, making it seem natural. This is something I continue to work on and try to improve daily and with each edit.

 8 - The Hook: I always try to bring the reader into the story with a dramatic opening. I'm working on my seventh novel, Zachor, and I plan to open that story with a scene in an upscale Jerusalem restaurant at lunch time:

SURPRISE ENCOUNTER

"I hate it when my day starts like this."

"What do you mean?"

"See those two Palestinian boys at the far table across the terrace?"

"One wearing red and white shemagh talking to kid on iPhone?"

"Yes, them."

"So what about them?"

See that knapsack under the table?"

"I do... starting to get your drift."

"He's programming the IED in the knapsack to detonate remotely shortly after they leave the restaurant."

"Absolutely sure of that?"

"Trust me. I live here. This shit happens."

--- --- ---

But, you don't and won’t know who is talking or what is going to happen until the end of the short first chapter. That revelation, plus an elaboration on the background presented in the narrative summary of the next chapter, fills the reader in on the characters involved in the restaurant confrontation. The second chapter takes place in Tel Aviv four hours earlier that morning before the first chapter's opening scene, setting up the unexpected encounter.

My goal is for the scene and dialogue to build tension and suspense leading to a surprise event, ideally holding the readers’ interest, keeping them turning the pages.

9 -  Research: It takes time to get it right, but it lends authenticity. For instance, Biff's team will not just be drinking beer in an Algiers bar, but they will be drinking the local Tango beer in "The Place" in Algiers’ storied Hotel Le Chalet Normand. Tango coincidentally in military jargon, means target and appropriately enough, the CT team in this scene is on their way to Mali chasing tangoes in my fourth novel, Existential Threats.

10 -  I try not to be a one trick pony in choosing my topics and I try to write about topical items and current events. For instance, in my fifth novel, The Carrington Prophecy, published late last year, the CIA receives actionable intelligence that a rogue regime is planning a sneak attack with the goal of exploding a nuclear device above the United States triggering an unnatural Carrington Event. This EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) would cripple all electronic systems and power grids, leaving the homeland defenseless. EMP as a weapon is a topic that has come up recently in the presidential debates. 

R. Lawson is a retired vascular surgeon and served as a captain in the United States Air Force as a flight surgeon. With over 120 academic works under his belt, he moved into the fiction genre and began writing thrillers with a focus on terrorism, cyber spying, national security and more.

He hopes that you enjoy his CIA International Intrigue series featuring Biff Roberts, veteran CIA agent, as he travels the globe thwarting threats to the United States and its allies.

For More Information

• Visit R. Lawson’s website.
• Connect with R. on Facebook and Twitter.
• Find out more about R. at Goodreads.

Kindle Freebie: Deadly Lode by Randall Reneau

Geologist Trace Brandon's serendipitous discovery of the long forgotten Sullivan Mine comes with more than high grade uranium and gold ore. When ex-con and penny mining stock promoter, Cyrus"The Virus" McSweeny, finds out about Brandon's new mining claims, he formulates an underhanded plan to gain an interest in the mine. To further complicate matters, one of Brandon's shareholders, Richard Rosenburg, is into a New Orleans crime family for a cool million. And they want Rosy's shares in Brandon's new company; Montana Creek Mining. As Brandon begins to drill out the rich orebody, his shareholders start dying. And not from natural causes. The exotic nature of the murders catches the attention of FBI Special Agent Beau Monroe. But it's the world class uranium grades that catch Hong Kong based Lei Chang's eye. Chang wants the uranium reserves for his Chinese backed mining company. And he doesn't care how he gets them. Brandon is forced to forge some rather unorthodox alliances to maintain control of the Sullivan Mine, and to stay alive.

File Size: 818 KB
Print Length: 306 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1479131792
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B009VMGGXS


Purchase here!

From My TBR Pile: Lust, Money & Murder by Mike Wells

Born in the worst suburb in Pittsburgh, Elaine Brogan is bright, beautiful and bold. When her father is falsely arrested for passing counterfeit $100 bills, Elaine fights her way into the Secret Service, determined to punish the man responsible. Join Elaine on a dangerous, romantic journey that takes her halfway around the globe and into the hands of the most ruthless counterfeiter in the world.

First Sentence:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania--1985

The day Elaine Brogan was born, Patrick Brogan's life underwent a dramatic change.


File Size: 289 KB
Print Length: 106 pages
Publisher: Mike Wells (January 18, 2014)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B005638LWK

PURCHASE HERE!